We all want to work at top tier multi-national companies to access opportunities in terms of accelerated career path, remuneration and working conditions on par. In today’s globalized and competitive world, knowledge gets you very close to your desired job, but what helps you grab it is a combination of knowledge and your personality. I personally know a few people who are decently knowledgeable and have a good personality, and were chosen over people with only good knowledge. Having a good personality is often confused with good communication. It is definitely important to have good communication skills, but personality is a conjunction of much more than that.

What does a good personality consist of?

A good personality consists of numerous qualities, some of which include:

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Self-Confidence:

Learn to accept your flaws—one cannot be good at everything! Just because someone else is great at something you are not good at does not mean you are bad or have no chance of acing an interview. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Adore yourself as that’s what will enable you have a pleasant personality.

Leadership:

Leadership can be interpreted in multiple ways, but personal leadership involves actively working towards fulfilling your goals and aspirations in life. Author of ‘Awaken the Giant Within’ believes, “In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.”

Communication:

One of the most important abilities in today’s world is to have good communication skills. Starting from socializing and convincing on a personal level, till conveying the right message and impressing your interviewer, communication plays a part in a person’s personal and professional life. In short, communication is an art of transmitting information effectively. With some practice one can easily acquire this gift of gab.

Impact of communication in Personal life: Incorrect body language and lack of expression may be misleading and can offend the people around you.

Impact of communication in professional life: One might be unable to take part of important forums, meetings and events due to the language barrier or lack of knowledge.

Inter-Personal Skills:

Whether in personal or professional life, we need to interact with individuals, and groups. The art of persuading one or more people effectively, without offending them is the best use of inter-personal skills. One should learn to listen, choose words carefully, learn to be assertive, and empathize. These are often confused with communication, which is used to develop good interpersonal skills but they are not the same. They can also be referred to as social skills or people skills.

Self-Motivation:

The force, or that “inner spark”, which drives you to fulfill your goals is known as self-motivation. It’s all about leaving behind the pain that is caused while executing a mission, and only keeping in mind the pleasure which would be derived post-completion. Accomplishing your goals leads to success, which in turn bolsters confidence in yourself, which in turn, leads to more success. Individuals who possess a “never give up” attitude are ones that are self motivated and who inevitably succeed in life. Attaining this quality can be very simple if we follow the following Mantra.

Attire Management:

One of the most evident ways to display your personality is through your attire. Attire management in simple words can be described as self packaging. Your appearance makes an instant impression on an onlooker. How you look determines who you are. Most of us form an opinion about someone on the basis of their clothes, accessories and grooming. Dynamics prove that 55% of the opinion that people form about others is based on their looks. In today’s corporate world, the face-value matters the most, hence it is imperative be presentable at all times. Professional attire may consist of umpteen qualities, but I personally tend to form an opinion about one on the following:
Personal hygiene: Being as clean as possible hits the chart. It’s crucial that you look clean & fresh, and smell nice before you present yourself to someone.
Grooming: Invest plenty of time to ensure your hair is appropriately set and that your nails are clean. You may not want someone to avoid a handshake with you, especially if it’s your interviewer!!
Dressing sense: Dressing according to the occasion counts for a lot. Taking care of your clothes is as important as taking care of the accessories (watch, ring, belt, and briefcase) and wearing the right pair of shoes.
Sohail Merchant – Team Imarticus